Night, Forevermore
by scathach124
Summary: AU: A nocturnal life can be lonely ... unless you have someone to share it with. Two vampires, a night in a garden, and a love for eternity. Matthew/Mary one-shot.


_I credit P. for giving me this idea for a little one-shot between Mary and Matthew, as a *spinoff* from my Vampires!Downton series. I did need something to do a one-shot of, since writing a chaptered story takes forever. _

_You don't need to read the other fictions I wrote on this AU settings; just understand that both Mary and Matthew are vampires. I tried to hint at things mentioned in the other stories here and there, but if you don't fully understand, just take a peek._

_And just so we're clear, this is not smutty (least I hope it's not). It's not supposed to be. But it's supposed to be sexy and romantic. Still, I rate it 15+, just to be safe._

_*Enjoy!*_

* * *

For four hundred years he had waited for this. Four hundred long, dark years he had waited for this feeling, this burning desire, to touch him and make him feel alive. Yes, she was the same as him, her heart silent in her chest and her skin like ice, but that hardly mattered. He loved this strange creature, difficult as it was for him to believe it.

His kind were believed to be devoid of the ability to love, being undead and such, but he knew this was wrong. He had once been human, he knew what it was to be in love, and now that he was dead he still felt it, the passion for life that they shared.

She had never believed, as a human or as a monster, that she could love any man as much as him, but to her surprise she had been mistaken. From the moment that she had first kissed him, that stormy day, she felt the deep affection she felt for him growing stronger than her thirst for blood.

Though he had not turned her, she felt as if they were connected somehow, a bond that ran deep within them, and she felt it every time he looked at her, every time she touched him. It was so hard to imagine a life without him, to think that she might have spent endless years without him by her side.

The moon hung full in the starless night, the sky blacker than the darkest ebony. Even with the light of the moon shining down they were enveloped in total darkness. The gardens, normally picturesque in daylight, seemed closer now to a graveyard with the stone benches and statues, the flowers turned to shadow. The air was cold, but Mary did not feel it, not with Matthew standing so close to her, giving off a warmth that only she could feel.

They were in their secret place in the gardens, surrounded by angels carved to dance and cry forever. Not a soul knew they were here, and Mary felt they were the only two people in the world, that there was nothing beyond the stone walls that enclosed them. Only they existed in this tiny, perfect world.

No words needed to be spoken as they kissed gently, completely oblivious to everything except each other. Mary tasted the remnants of blood on Matthew's lips, the sweet taste adding to the ecstasy of the moment. Whenever she fed she experienced something similar, though being here with Matthew was far more pleasurable. She felt her eyes turn red as she ran her tongue around his mouth, sharing in the blood of the human he had just drunk from.

"Oh, Matthew ..." she breathed. She felt his cold hands on her arms, his pointed nails tantalizing her skin and sending shivers down her spine.

"My darling," he whispered sensually in her ear. His hands gently touched her, as if making sure that she was real and not some strange fantasy. His desire to love was strong, and his devotion to Mary even stronger. With red eyes he looked at Mary tenderly, taking in her beauty that shone even in the darkness of the night. She was not a monster, she never was, but she was a siren, a goddess that lived in the night.

Mary's lips were stained red, but her skin remained untainted as fresh fallen snow. She murmured incomprehensible words, breathing heavily.

"What is it?" Matthew asked.

"The night ... it's so beautiful," she murmured.

Matthew smiled at her, saying, "And so are you, my love."

He was caressing her neck now, as if she was another one of his human prey. The suspense was teasing her, the longing growing like her hunger. She had awaited this for so long, she did not think she could bear a minute more.

"Please, don't wait," Mary said. She wanted to feel _it, _she wanted it so bad, and she knew Matthew did as well. "Please ..."

"Yes, my dear," Matthew said softly, like a hiss. "Yes ..."

There was a dark, animalistic hunger in his red eyes, almost the same when he came close to a human's neck, ready to let his teeth puncture the tender flesh and drink in the red nectar that flowed from the wound. Such a sight would make anyone faint with fear, but Mary had learned never to be scared of him in this state - she was the same as him, with the same insatiable hunger. Her body seemed to shiver with anticipation as Matthew drew back his lips, exposing his sharp white fangs. He held her tighter in his embrace as he leaned close and kissed the skin on her neck, at the same time smelling the blood that Mary had drank hardly an hour ago. Mary felt the prick of his knifelike teeth on her throat, excitement racing through her.

Matthew's fangs sank into her neck, and Mary cried out with both pain and pleasure. When she had been transformed it had been so, so painful, but now the pain was turning enjoyable, a feeling that a mortal could never experience. She moaned as Matthew sucked at the wound like a rough kiss. He wasn't just drinking the blood but drinking _her_, becoming one with her. It was like nothing else in the world, an exquisite feeling that could not be replicated.

Matthew pushed her against the stone wall, sucking harder and hearing Mary's groans. She was pressing hard against him with her arms wrapped around his neck. She wanted her turn, but this felt so good to him, and he remained at her neck for just a little while longer. He was drinking slowly, wanting this wonderful moment to last as long as he could make it. He emitted a low growl when Mary forced him away from her, but he knew he would not be disappointed for long.

Mary leaned closer and lapped up the droplets of blood seeping from Matthew's mouth. Her own fangs had appeared while Matthew was drinking, and with those sharp teeth she ran across his cheek and down his neck, stopping at his jugular vein.

"Mary ..." Matthew moaned, and then gave a small gasp as Mary pierced his throat and immediately began sucking the blood that spilled out of him. It was strange, feeling Mary at his throat, but it was also, oh, such a wonderful sensation. He groaned just as she had, a desire he never knew he wanted being satisfied with every swallow Mary took. All he could think of was her, her moans lost with her mouth pressed against his skin. He closed his eyes, feeling only her arms around him and her teeth in his neck, viciously drawing out blood. Mary was young and could be rough, but he loved it anyway. He entangled his hands in her dark hair, his pleasure heightening ever so quickly.

He was surprised when she withdrew from him; normally she liked to go a little longer and savor the luscious blood, something she blamed on her youth. Silver moonlight glinted off her bloodstained teeth as she smiled at him.

"Matthew ... oh, yes," she said as Matthew once again kissed her neck, but keeping his teeth away from her. "Matthew ... I-I love ..."

Her words were lost as their mouths crushed together again, even more passionately than before. Mary held tightly onto Matthew, hoping she would never have to let go. She felt his tongue dart out from between his lips and quickly lick the blood that had dripped onto her chin.

"... I-I love you," Mary managed to say. She grasped him tightly, afraid if she let go he'd never come this close to her again.

"And," Matthew said, breathing heavily, the tips of his fangs a dark crimson, "I love you ... forever."

"Forever ... mm," Mary murmured contently.

Sometimes it was hard to imagine living an immortal life, a life constantly in the shadows, but as long as she had Matthew, Mary did not care about any of that. From the very beginning he had been her light in a dark world, and she was not going to be without him. She felt the coldness of his skin, which seemed to give a strange warmth. She had felt that warmth when she was at his neck, and she wanted to always be able to feel it.

"Forever with _you_," whispered Matthew, tickling Mary's ear with his fangs. He knew what Mary was thinking, her thoughts like murmurs inside his head. He felt the same: that eternity without her was unbearable. He wondered how he had survived the past centuries without her, living through years when she hadn't even been born. In fact, it was almost a blessing that they were both undead, both immortal.

Neither of them wanted to separate. Neither wanted the night to end. All they wanted was each other, alone together in their shadowy garden.

"Matthew," Mary said sadly, "must we ...?"

"Don't worry, my darling," Matthew said. "We have forevermore."

After all, the night would come again.


End file.
